Lakers' new star trio could be unstoppable … or combustible

LOS ANGELES — In just a few plays, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook demonstrated how they can become the NBA’s most dominant trio. In just a few plays, James, Davis and Westbrook also showed how they can become the NBA’s most dysfunctional trio.

Not that any of the highlight reels and blunders mattered that much. Their first game together coincided with the Lakers’ 111-99 preseason loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday at Staples Center. Never do NBA championship teams look the same in October as they do in June. Never do their opponents for that matter considering the Warriors rested stars Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

“James said, ‘We’re exercising patience through the process, fully aware that there will be moments of frustration. There will be instances where we might seem to regress. But, if it’s not worth working for, it’s not worth having.'”

Nevertheless, a single game is enough to expose both the strengths and weaknesses of James, Davis, and Westbrook.

The strengths?

Davis (20 points), James (17 points, four assists) and Westbrook (10 points, 10 rebounds, six assists) offered plenty of scoring punch, partly fueled by their offensive brilliance and partly fueled by their defensive execution.

"It's all about being patient with the process and understating that we're going to have frustrating moments." LeBron James with @LakersReporter on being patient with the #Lakers building chemistry & understanding with a largely new roster. pic.twitter.com/uYrkZVz3ir

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) October 13, 2021

Westbrook assisted James during fast-breaks and also set Davis up for effortless scores. He demonstrated his ability to aggressively move in transition, as well as his willingness to forgo personal scoring opportunities to pass to a more open teammate. These skills played a significant role in the Lakers’ trio contributing to the team’s 15-6 run during the first 4:06 of the third quarter.

“Davis said, “We observed some impressive things when Me, Bron, and Russ were in action.”

The weaknesses?

James, with six turnovers, and Westbrook, with five, made many mistakes due to their hectic style of play and their shared unfamiliarity. Westbrook attempted risky passes into the post and across the court. Both Westbrook and James lost possession after driving the ball inside.

Westbrook did not even score until midway through the second quarter. Following the Lakers’ double-digit run to open the second half, the Warriors went on a 21-3 tear with all three of those stars on the floor.

“Throughout the season we will inevitably face highs, lows, and challenges,” stated Westbrook. “What’s important is that we overcome these together and remain united.”

James, Davis, and Westbrook have the potential to be the driving force behind the Lakers’ second championship in three seasons. However, there is also a risk that they could end up being the reason for a setback at the most critical moment.

Anthony Davis tells @LakersReporter what he liked from the #Lakers Big Three in tonight's preseason matchup at Staples. pic.twitter.com/81giKoqNa2

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) October 13, 2021

How long will it take for the stars of the Lakers to learn how to properly operate their engine?

“Truthfully, I don’t have an answer to that,” admitted Westbrook. “I realize it’s a question on everyone’s mind. However, no one really has a definitive answer. Like every other team, we’re going to figure it out as we play. There’s no necessity to have it all figured out by the first game on either October 18th or 19th.”

The Lakers have one more preseason game in Sacramento on Thursday (10 p.m ET, NBA TV) before their actual season opener next week. Then, the Lakers will play a Warriors team that will feature Curry’s long-range shooting skills and Green’s defensive intensity. After that, the Lakers then face the Phoenix Suns, which dropped L.A. in the first round of the playoffs en route to a Finals berth in 2021.

Despite the challenging initial games, it may be difficult to imagine the Lakers struggling with a 1-4 start as they did in the 2012-13 season. The Lakers do have games they could win against teams that are currently rebuilding, including matches in San Antonio (Oct. 26), Oklahoma City (Oct. 27), and a three-game homestand against Cleveland (Oct. 29) and Houston (Oct. 31, Nov. 2).

L.A., being unable to secure a win in five exhibition games, is on track to replicate the performance of the 2012-13 team. That team, which attempted to merge new talents like Dwight Howard and Steve Nash with established stars like Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasal, ended the preseason with a 0-8 record.

"Nobody has an answer for that…we're going to play and figure it out. We have one goal in mind and that's to win a championship." Russell Westbrook on when the #Lakers stars will start to 'click'. pic.twitter.com/UUBOsZ6zr3

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) October 13, 2021

“Reaching our best could potentially take the entire year,” stated Lakers coach Frank Vogel prior to the game. “Ideally, we want to be at our peak as we enter the playoffs. However, we are determined to start off strong and ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible right from the start.”

Once the game started, the Lakers certainly came out strong, but this resulted in some excessive eagerness.

Carmelo Anthony concluded the first play by taking a 3-pointer with a mere second left on the shot clock, securing him a spot at the free-throw line. He managed to make those foul shots, but then missed the subsequent two plays. After a block by Davis, Westbrook and James each made turnovers on back-to-back possessions. However, almost two minutes afterward, James managed to score six points within a half-minute period, courtesy of the Lakers’ defensive efforts and Westbrook’s strategizing.

The Lakers are committed to ensuring more successes than mistakes during the trio’s play time, of course. They also admitted that their performance in the preseason games might accurately reflect what will occur in the regular season. To be part of the Lakers’ journey, tolerating the annoying errors might be the price to pay for experiencing the thrilling peaks.

“Expecting some rough nights early in the season is logical,” said Vogel. “However, despite having the same expectation two years ago, we started pretty strong. That’s what we’re aiming for again.”

However, the Lakers’ situation two seasons ago greatly differs from their current circumstances.

Undeniably, the Lakers faced a multitude of challenges during that season. Their training camp in China was interrupted. They were hit by the tragic deaths of Kobe and Gianna Bryant. Amidst a worldwide pandemic, they halted the season, only to resume it three months later inside a campus bubble, ultimately securing the NBA title.

As for the challenges of strategizing the X’s and O’s, the Lakers were tasked with figuring out how to mesh James and Davis’ playing styles under a new coach and with eight new teammates. However, they quickly discovered that James and Davis had a perfect synergy. James kept his promise of making Davis the offensive centerpiece, while Davis allowed James to take the reins of the offense.

This season, the Lakers need to determine how ball handling duties will be divided between James and Westbrook, establish their pace of play, and decide how frequently they will pass to Davis, other teammates, or take shots themselves.

Beyond ironing out chemistry with their three main stars, the Lakers already have some dents in their championship armor. Veteran forward Trevor Ariza (ankle) is out at least seven more weeks, third-year guard Talen Horton-Tucker (thumb) will miss another month while Wayne Ellington (left hamstring), Malik Monk (right groin) and Kendrick Nunn (right ankle) are also nursing mild injuries.

“As a leader, my primary responsibility is to keep my frustration in check,” James stated. “I believe that if I manage to stay calm, this attitude will spread to the rest of the team. I’ve always strived for excellence and never settled for less. However, I also understand that things take time. As long as I prioritize what’s most important and maintain a balanced perspective regardless of our team’s situation, we’ll be okay,” he added.

Just like the previous two seasons, the Lakers intend to rely heavily on James and Davis to highlight their strengths and mitigate their weaknesses. While the Lakers are eager to fast-track chemistry with Westbrook, they have also tactically distanced James and Davis from him. This allows James to continue controlling the game and scoring in isolation while Davis can continue to catch lobs from veteran guard Rajon Rondo, who the Lakers appreciate for his vocal contribution in practice, film analysis and coaching meetings.

“Every one of our news guys will experience this, not just Russ,” Vogel stated about James and Davis. “They know our system and each other the best. They will bear the brunt of this, but we need everyone to be up to speed immediately.”

This emphasizes the dilemma faced by all hastily formed star teams.

“Most of this usually requires time,” said Steve Kerr, coach of the Warriors. “The advantage is that when you have players who desire to be a team, they will dedicate themselves to each other. That appears to be the situation here. They all want to be a team. They will work it out. They are all intelligent and excellent players,” he added.

Hence, it’s improbable that the Lakers will relive the 2012-13 ordeal that involved Bryant, Howard, Gasol and Nash disagreeing on how to merge their skills. These Lakers have discussed about cementing their bonds during a casual camp in Las Vegas, film sessions, and group texts. However, drawing inspiration from other teams of championship caliber might be a bit of a stretch.

Despite Kerr admitting that the Warriors and Kevin Durant went through an adjustment period in their first 2016-17 season together, they quickly secured back-to-back NBA titles due to Durant’s successful integration of his scoring with Curry and Klay Thompson. Regarding James, he undoubtedly understands the dynamics of working with Miami’s Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, as well as Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. However, both Miami and Cleveland failed to secure an NBA title until they first experienced defeat in The Finals. This season, the Lakers may not have the luxury of such patience.

“Every challenge and every year are unique,” said James. “I can’t compare any past team or situation to this year. This year is all about the amount of effort we’re willing to invest and the level of desire we have to continually improve.”

Furthermore, this year will also be a test of how well James, Davis, and Westbrook can combine their skills. The result could be both impressive and unpleasant to observe.

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Mark Medina is a senior writer/analyst for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.

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